Striker mechanism

ABSTRACT

An improved striker mechanism for controlling contact of a firing pin with a percussion cap. In a first safe position the striker mechanism retains the firing pin in a safe condition out of contact with the percussion cap. In a second pin position the striker mechanism moves the firing pin to a cocked condition from which the pin is released for detonating the cap.

United States Patent Taylor 1 May 30, 1972 [54] STRIKER NIECHANISM [56] References Cited [72] Inventor: Leonard Taylor, Newdigate, England UNITED STATES PATENTS g Smith & Wesson Pyrotechniw, 2,785,632 3/1957 Clauser et a1 ..102/37.6 p g M 2,736,236 2/1956 Martin ..89/1 B [22] Filed: June 12, 1970 Primary ExaminerSamuel W. Engle AttomeyPatrick J. Walsh [21] Appl. No.: 45,703

[57] ABSTRACT An improved striker mechanism for controlling contact of a [52] U.S.Cl ..42/l2, 89/] B, 102/705 firing pin with a percussion cap. In a first safe position the [51] Int. Cl. ..F42c 7/00 striker mechanism retains the firing pin in a safe condition out [58] Field of Search ..89/1, 1 B; 42/69; 102/374, of Contact with the percussion p In a Second P Position 102/376, 70, 70 5; 41/1 R, 1 Z, 1 L

the striker mechanism moves the firing pin to a cocked condition from which the pin is released for detonating the cap.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures STRIKER MECHANISM SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved striker mechanism for employment with percussion igniters and relates to that type of striker mechanism in which a striker pin is slidably urged by a spring against a percussion cap to fire the cap, priming of the striker pin occurring immediately prior to release of the pin to initiate ignition of the percussion cap.

The type of striker mechanism in which the spring is under only light stress during storage has the advantage that the mechanism is safer in storage and that the risk of the spring losing resilience during storage is reduced.

According to the present invention a percussion striker mechanism comprises a housing, a recess in the housing adapted to accommodate a percussion cap at one end of a bore in the housing, a striker pin slidably contained in the bore, spring means to urge one end of the striker pin into contact with a percussion cap located in the recess and a firing/priming mechanism releasably engaging the striker pin adjacent to the other end thereof and is characterized in that the firing/priming mechanism comprises a tumably mounted actuating lever engaging the striker pin to move the latter in the direction to prime the spring means when the actuating lever is turned in one direction, and a cocking lever tumably mounted on the housing for turning the actuating lever in said one direction, said levers being dimensioned and disposed relative to each other so that turning movement of the cocking lever in one direction first primes the spring means and then releases the actuating lever to allow the spring means to drive said one end of the striker pin against the percussion cap.

Preferably the spring means is a helical spring surrounding the striker pin and located within the bore of the housing, one end of the spring bearing against the housing and the other end bearing against an enlarged head of the striker pin adjacent said one end thereof.

Conveniently the two levers are mounted to turn about parallel axes disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the striker pin. The cocking lever may be of articulated construction so that in the storage position of the striker mechanism the cocking lever may be folded over the housing and provided with an aperture through which the striker pin may pass.

To ensure against inadvertent actuation of the strike mechanism, it is desirable to arrange for part of the cocking lever to underlie the actuating lever so that when the two levers are in this position it is impossible for the striker pin to engage the percussion cap.

A removable cover may be provided to enclose the firing/priming mechanism when the latter is in its storage position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of striker mechanism in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the mechanism shown in the storage position,

FIG. 2 is a plan from above showing the mechanism of FIG. I extended for a firing operation, and

FIG. 3 shows the mechanism of FIG. 1 just prior to firing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, the striker mechanism comprises a body 1, a cap 2 threadedly engaged on the body 1 and retaining a flash tube 3 in position on one end of the body 1.

Slidably received in the body 1 is a striker pin 4 having at one end thereof a firing tip 5. Adjacent to the other end of the striker pin 4 is a waist portion 6 of reduced diameter and the striker pin is surrounded by a helical spring 7.

LII

A conventional detonator cap 8 is secured in a recess at one end of the body 1 and is held in position by the flash tube 3 and the cap 2.

At the end of the body 1 remote from the cap 2 is a firing/priming mechanism generally designated 9 which comprises an actuating lever 10 tumably mounted about a pivot pin 11 and an articulated cocking lever 12 tumably mounted on a second pivot pin 13.

A removable cover 17 surrounds the end of the body I remote from the cap 2 and contains the firing/priming mechanism 9.

A resilient annular seal 14 secures the cap 8 in water-tight engagement with the body 1 and prevents ingress of moisture into the interior of a pyrotechnic device (not shown) with which the striker mechanism will be associated.

In the storage position shown in FIG. 1 it will be seen that a first part 12a of the cocking lever 12 lies against a surface of the body 1 and prevents the actuating lever 10 (which engages the waist portion 6 of the striker pin 4) from approaching so close to the body 1 that the tip 5 engages the cap 8. A second part 12b of the cocking lever is, in the storage position, folded back across the striker pin, the end of which is received in an aperture 15.

In the condition shown in FIG. 1, the striker mechanism can be safely stored without any risk of premature detonating. Further, the spring 7 is in a comparatively relaxed state, the potential energy stored in the spring merely being sufficient to hold the actuating lever 10 firmly down on the inwardly directed end 16 of the part 12a of the cocking lever.

To actuate the mechanism, the cover 17 is removed and the part 12b of the cocking lever turned through approximately (in a clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1). In this condition the striker mechanism would appear as in FIG. 2. To fire the cap 8, the part 12b of the cocking lever is pressed in the direction of the arrow A (See FIG. 3) and this causes the part 12a of the cocking lever to move away from the body 1 urging the actuating lever 10 in the direction of the arrow B. The movement of the actuating lever 10 draws the striker pin 4 partially out of the body 1, compressing the spring 7 and priming the mechanism for a firing operation. It will be appreciated that a slight additional turning of the cocking lever 12 in the direction of the arrow A will cause the end 16 thereof to lose contact with the actuating lever 10 and allow the spring 7 to assert itself driving the tip 5 into the cap 8 and firing the latter.

When the striker mechanism is mounted in one end of a pyrotechnic device it is convenient if the casing of the pyrotechnic device lies parallel to, but slightly spaced from the part 12b of the cooking lever when the cocking lever is in the position shown in FIG. 3, since this arrangement enables firing of the mechanism to be accomplished merely by squeezing the part 12b against the casing of the device.

What is claimed is:

1. A striker mechanism for use with percussion igniters comprising a body member, a recess in the body member for receiving a percussion cap, a spring-biased striker pin mounted in said body for movement into contact with a percussion igniter, the striker pin having a firing tip at one end and a reduced waist portion at the other end thereof, a first lever pivoted on said body member and cooperating with the waist portion of said striker pin to move the striker pin to an armed position, the first lever having a slot for engaging and receiving the waist portion, and a second articulated cocking lever comprising a first part and a second part having a common pivoted mounting on said body member, said first part being adapted to lie against the body member with its inwardly directed end in engagement with the end of the first lever thereby to hold the striking pin in a safe position, and said second part of the articulated cocking lever being adapted to move the first part from the safe position to an armed position and further to release the first part whereby the striking pin is moved by its spring to detonate the cap.

2. The striker mechanism of claim 1 which further includes a protective cover for enclosing the first and second levers in the safe position.

3. In a striker mechanism for use with percussion igniters having a body member, a recess in the body member for receiving a percussion cap, a spring-biased striker pin mounted in said body for movement into contact with a percussion igniter, the striker pin having a reduced waist portion at the other end thereof, the improvement which comprises a first lever pivoted on said body member and cooperating with the waist portion of said striker pin to move the striker pin to an armed position, the first lever having a slot for engaging and receiving the waist portion, and a second articulated cocking lever comprising a first part and a second part having a common pivoted mounting on said body member, said first part being adapted to lie against the body member with its inwardly directed end in engagement with the end of the first lever thereby to hold the striking pin in a safe position, and said second part of the articulated cocking lever being adapted to move the first part from the safe position to an armed position and further beyond the armed position so the first part disengages the first lever whereby the striking pin is moved by its spring to detonate the cap.

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1. A striker mechanism for use with percussion igniters comprising a body member, a recess in the body member for receiving a percussion cap, a spring-biased striker pin mounted in said body for movement into contact with a percussion igniter, the striker pin having a firing tip at one end and a reduced waist portion at the other end thereof, a first lever pivoted on said body member and cooperating with the waist portion of said striker pin to move the striker pin to An armed position, the first lever having a slot for engaging and receiving the waist portion, and a second articulated cocking lever comprising a first part and a second part having a common pivoted mounting on said body member, said first part being adapted to lie against the body member with its inwardly directed end in engagement with the end of the first lever thereby to hold the striking pin in a safe position, and said second part of the articulated cocking lever being adapted to move the first part from the safe position to an armed position and further to release the first part whereby the striking pin is moved by its spring to detonate the cap.
 2. The striker mechanism of claim 1 which further includes a protective cover for enclosing the first and second levers in the safe position.
 3. In a striker mechanism for use with percussion igniters having a body member, a recess in the body member for receiving a percussion cap, a spring-biased striker pin mounted in said body for movement into contact with a percussion igniter, the striker pin having a reduced waist portion at the other end thereof, the improvement which comprises a first lever pivoted on said body member and cooperating with the waist portion of said striker pin to move the striker pin to an armed position, the first lever having a slot for engaging and receiving the waist portion, and a second articulated cocking lever comprising a first part and a second part having a common pivoted mounting on said body member, said first part being adapted to lie against the body member with its inwardly directed end in engagement with the end of the first lever thereby to hold the striking pin in a safe position, and said second part of the articulated cocking lever being adapted to move the first part from the safe position to an armed position and further beyond the armed position so the first part disengages the first lever whereby the striking pin is moved by its spring to detonate the cap. 